Photo by Roy Cropper at Burnley Bus Station.
Latest Fleet News from
TRANSDEV
and
service changes in the area.
BURNLEY & PENDLE
October 29th 2011
The route new X8 service will be via Bacup, Rawtenstall, Edenfield, M66, M60 J5, Middleton Road (Heaton Park), Cheetham Hill Road to the new Interchange at Shudehill. It seems more than likely that B10BLE's 1059 & 1068 will be used on this route.
Former B&P VolvoB7TL/President 2706 is now back working from Queensgate. This vehicle has been extensively rebuilt as an experiment and has been in service with most of the Blazefield group for evaluation, most recently with Harrogate. Now it's Burnley and Pendle's turn. 2706 has also had a change of registration to reflect its new status. Formerly Y706 HRN it is now B7 BVD.
Photo by Roy Cropper at Burnley Bus Station.
October 25th 2011
It appears that new services 8, 9 and X8 will operate as part of the "Starship" network, although as yet no details of any repainting taking place.
The ex. London buses are apparently in such poor condition they would be uneconomic to repair, but I've just learnt that just two are to be kept, one is away having its centre entrance removed.
Optare 1252 is to be sold.
October 2nd 2011
Full details of all the proposed service changes are now available from L.C.C. (services changes 2011)
Volvo coach 302 has been transferred to Harrogate and more Optare Solo's will be entering service.
Four ex. London Volvo/Plaxton President buses are being purchased to replace aging Olympian schoolbuses to satisfy L.C.C. requirements. It is believed that they will be painted in Starship colours. The first to arrive was ex. Go-Ahead London Central PVL 269, PN02 XBT.
Preserved Ribble Olympian 2101 is stored at Queensgate and will be used for the BCN Society trip to Busworks at Blackpool tomorrow (Oct. 3rd.)
September 29th 2011
Optare 1254 is now in Starship livery.
More service changes are planned for the end of October, one of which is a new X8 service to Manchester via Bacup, replacing the X44. This was tried once before as the X45 which operated from January 2002 to October 2003.
Service 8 to Bacup is to be extended to serve Rawtenstall & Bury hourly!
Service X63 will become service 9.
The Mainline service to Padiham Slade Lane will be replaced by journeys to Memorial Park. (Slade Lane is already served by Tyrer's service 65)
Other minor timetable changes will be made.
June 30th 2011
Optare 1255 is now in service in Starship livery. 1254 will be the next to be repainted.
May 24th 2011(update 27th May)
Starship service 3 will be discontinued from tomorrow (Sat.) On May 31st (Tues.) Tyrer Bus will take over the service to Clifton Farm & Healey Wood.
From June 1st Transdev B&P will operate a new service 16 from Bunkers Hill, Colne to Nelson. (See service changes)
Dart 704 has now returned to L.U. Optare 1261 has returned to York and has been replaced by Optare 1252, YN53 SVE from store at Intack in Spot-On livery.
The Tiger Cub did not reach its reserve and is unsold.
May 12th 2011
Dart 704 is still in service at B&P.
Ex. BCN Tiger Cub 70, FHG 570E, is for sale on ebay, current offer around £2,000 - 24 hours to go. link -
Changes will be made to the no. 3 service to Clifton Farm. From 31st May it will no longer serve the Lowerhouse area. The link to Lowerhouse previously served by Tyrer's route 65 will be restored.
As a result of budget cuts L.C.C. supported
Pendle services 16, 68, 97 & 98 will be withdrawn from 29th May.
May 7th 2011
Another Optare M850, 1256, MX54 KYE, has been transferred from L.U. to B & P. 1261, a M920 longer wheelbase version, has problems with grounding on some routes. Starship 256 has returned from Blackburn in exchange for Dart 704. It has suffered somewhat during its time with L.U. having lost some livery on the nearside and gained silver wheels.
B10BLE,s 202, 1059 & 1068 have acquired rear advertisements for Harry Garlick.
April 7th 2011 (updated 9th April)
Optare Solo 1255, MX54 KYF, has been transferred from LU to Queensgate.
The Barnoldswick Town Services 30/31 have been renumbered B2/B1. The Summertime Witch Hopper service to be operated by B&P and has been renumbered 72 for all journeys between Nelson, Burnley, Sabden & Clitheroe and 70/71 for journeys between Clitheroe, Barley & Nelson.
B&P has registered a service 872 between Burnley, Barnoldswick, Skipton & Grassington from 17th April. This is probably a Sunday & Bank Holiday service. http://dalesbus.org/Service%2066A%20Changes%20170411.pdf
No. 10, the 1948 Leyland Tiger PS1, originally restored by society member the late Roy Eckersall, has a new owner. He is Nick Szkiler. No 10 has had a reconditioned engine fitted and just requires a bit of paintwork. It now resides near Malton.
March 9th 2011
The merger between Veoila and Transdev has now taken place. No major changes are expected as negotiations have been going on for some time now and any livery changes would have already been reflected in the current re-painting programme.
The paintshop at Manner Sutton Street, Blackburn has been busy repainting Leyland Olympian 2101, GFR101W, into full NBC Poppy Red livery with RIBBLE fleetnames and flying N symbols, following its long term return to original condition. The result is superb and will be a welcome sight at rallies in the near future.
From March 28th B&P will take over the Barnoldswick Town Services 30/31. One of the Optare Solos will be repainted into Starship livery for this service. Four school services will be lost at the end of this term. At the beginning of next term new journeys on the 241/2 Accrington - Clitheroe service will be introduced which will interlink with the X63 Burnley - Accrington service. Both services will come under the heading of Starship routes as will service 8 to Bacup. B&P has also won the tender for the summer Sunday and Bank Holiday Pendle Witch Hopper service starting in April.
March 4th 2011
The way Mainline route numbers are used is to
change from 6th March. Each destination to and from Burnley Bus Station will
carry the same route number. At Burnley the route number will change to reflect
the ultimate destination. The service to the North Valley Retail Park will be
discontinued. An additional service to Earby will replace it. (Services
changes)
The Lowerhouse & Healey Wood service no. 3 has been retimed from 6th March
to overcome reliability problems.
March 2nd 2011
Starship 256 is currently on loan to
Lancashire United in exchange for Dart 704. It has been spotted on route 241.
http://east-lancs.fotopic.net/p69144818.html
Photos of starship liveried 196 can also be found on http://east-lancs.fotopic.net/p69144819.html
and http://east-lancs.fotopic.net/p69144820.html.
Pity a current destination blind couldn't be found.
Trawden shuttle photos by Roy Cropper have been added to the photo album no. 4. ( 1071 & 1261)
During February a shuttle service operated in Sabden due to bridge repairs using Keighley buses no longer required for rail replacement duties.
Photo by Roy Cropper of Keighley & District 566/572 at Queensgate depot.
February 15th 2011
Today's Burnley Express carries a feature on the return to Burnley of number 63, the preserved Leyland PD2/1. It has been purchased by Mark Hanson for £12,000 on e-bay. Photos.
February 9th 2011 (updated)
Dennis Dart 704 is currently on loan from LU at Intack. In Spot-On livery it is working the no. 3 service. This is due to one or other of the Solos 1254/61 operating a shuttle service between Colne & Trawden during the day and between Burnley & Trawden in the evenings and Sundays. This is because of bridge repair works in Trawden which Mainline buses are to wide to negotiate.
Rossendalebus has withdrawn service 83 operating between Burnley Bus Station and Burnley General Hospital. It has also introduced a new service 273 to Bolton operating via Water, Newchurch & Rawtenstall. This service almost replicates the old Ribble 236 service. Service 483 now terminates at Bury Interchange The two services now provide a half-hourly service to the Rossendale Valley.
January 31st 2011
Ex. Keighley B10BLE's 566/572 are at present running from Queensgate on weekend rail replacement duties assisted by 301/2 the Plaxton Paragon coaches (tachographs are required on these duties). 572 also moves to Manner Sutton St. Blackburn during the week to work on their services.
Olympian 48 has now returned to Intack, no longer required.
Objections are being voiced about the proposed withdrawal of service 16, Colne - Bunkers Hill. Perhaps a compromise will be found!
Photos from Roy Cropper - Optare Solo 1254 working the X63 in Accrington and 1261 on the new route 3 to Lowerhouse via Clifton Farm.
January 14th 2011
Starship 256 is not now going to Harrogate. Change of plan.
Former Northern Blue Olympian 196 is now resplendent in a new livery of red and yellow (starship style).
The Colne Times today carries a story of services facing the axe due to Lancashire County Council budget cuts. Four regular Pendle services are said not to be used enough to cover their costs. They are service 16 - Colne - Lenches - Bunkers Hill; service 68 - Nelson - Barrowford - Colne; service 97 - Nelson Valley Mills and service 98 - Nelson - Marsden Heights. Also facing withdrawal is a bus carrying 10 children from Nelson to Sir John Thursby School in Eastern Avenue, Burnley. All of these services could never have run with financial support from L.C.C.
January 11th 2011
Changes have been made to several routes
w.e.f. 9th January. Service 3, Clifton Farm Estate to Marsden Park has been
withdrawn and replaced by two new services. Extra journeys on services 4/5 will
replace those previously operated under service 3.
A new service, 93, will operate Mon - Sat daytime between Nelson and Marsden
Park. New service 3 will operate a circular service between Burnley, Clifton
Farm and Lowerhouse and Burnley and Healey Wood, replacing a section of route 65
and incorporating route 10.
The route of service 2 to Higherford will operate via Waidshouse Road instead of
Hibson Road.
In order to provide a service from Nelson, via Hibson Road to Haggate, Harle
Syke and the General Hospital, service 65 has been extended. In order for this
service continue to operate every hour the route will operate directly between
Lomeshaye Village and Nelson Interchange omitting Milton Street &
Pendle Street in addition to the loss of the Lowerhouse section. (Service
changes 2011)
Another Optare Solo has joined the B&P fleet. This is 1261. MX05 EMJ and has been transferred from Transdev York. At present it carries Transdev logos on a Red livery with grey skirt. It has been operating the new service 3. Optare 1254 is operating on local routes when not required for a school duty. It is in Spot-On livery.
Starship 256 has apparently been transferred to Harrogate. No further information about this move at present.
November 12th 2010
Burnley & Pendle's remaining Dennis Dart,
720, has returned to Keighley. B10 BLE's 1063/5 have also gone to Keighley.
Optare Solo,1254, has been transferred from L.U. apparently for a school duty.
October 19th 2010
Ex. Blackburn Olympians 48, 52 & 54 have been transferred from LU to B&P. More information when received.
October 12th 2010
Burnley & Pendle Travel have re-introduced a modified service to the North Valley area of Colne. Mainline service 24 will now operate hourly to the North Valley Retail Park. Full details can be downloaded from the Lancashire Bus Website.
The front destination displays on 1066/7 have been converted to digital.
Pennine's increased frequency service is only
between Burnley & Barnoldswick.
September 20th 2010
1066/7 have only been repainted into the new Mainline livery. Seating and destination displays are unchanged. Apparently extra vehicles are required for an increased frequency on the Skipton service. Needless to say Pennine have retaliated by increasing their frequency to 30 mins. during the day. However, reports indicate that passengers prefer travelling on B&P's more comfortable modern buses!
Lancashire United's new Optare Tempo buses, branded for the 225 route are to be launched this weekend according to the Transdev Lancashire website.
August 28th 2010
Volvo B10BLE's 1066/7 are currently being refurbished and have been temporarily been replaced by 1063/5. 1052 has been seen operating on LU's 152 route.
Lancashire United is taking delivery of 8 Optare Tempos. They will be numbered 1301 - 8 and will replace Volvos 1077 - 83.
Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President 2706 has now completed its transformation at Manner Sutton Street and is now commencing trials on various routes to encourage public feedback. It is to be re-registered B7BDV (Blazefield Development Vehicle). Initially running on the 152 for two weeks it will then run on the Manchester service before going to Harrogate for use on the 36. Thanks to Trevor at WYIS for this information). See photo:
July 23rd 2010
Ex. Burnley & Pendle Volvo Citibuses nos. 105 & 110, F105/110 XCW have joined the fleet of Hodson' s Coaches at Clitheroe. They were last operated by Lincolnshire Road Car and are still in their livery.
July 15th 2010
Ex-Northern Blue 1201 has also passed to Irvines of Law. Further Scanias have been withdrawn, these are 111, 139, 147 & 156.
May 16th 2010
Transdev in Lancashire have now combined their websites into one, www.lancashirebus.co.uk. All links to previous sites now go directly to the new one.
It is reported that ex. Northern Blue DAF/Ikarus 1202 has been sold to Irvines of Law, Scotland.
April 26th 2010
Former Northern Blue Scania 156, F46 YHB has been sold to a dealer. Volvo B6/Dash 107, M718 BCS, has been transferred to Lancashire United. Transferred back again from Lancashire United is 55, B755 GSC still in Blackburn livery.
Summer services to Blackpool & Fleetwood will not run this year as they are not viable to operate.
February 10th 2010
Transdev Burnley & Pendle are to dispose of all its ex. Northern Blue Scania Double Deckers. Apparently they wish to retain only the Olympian model as a standard type.
First to go will be 111, 139, 151 & 156. Leyland Olympians 11 & 12, G281/9 UMJ have been transferred from Intack and ex. Northern Blue Olympian 196, F96 PRE, is reinstated. All will have yellow livery.
January 24th 2010
Volvo B10BLE 1059 has now returned to service at Queensgate. An extra bus is required for the new Skipton service.
Former B&P Presidents 2702/5 &7 are now with Lancashire United to provide low floor transport (due to public demand) for routes operating to and from the Royal Blackburn Hospital. 2702 is the first in service in Spot-On livery. The other will follow shortly after repainting is complete. Another President is at Manner Sutton Street for an experimental rebuild but may possibly return to Harrogate.
The "Urban Cool" student transport concept has come to an end in Lancashire owing to the lack of funding. 201, 504 & 509 are with Harrogate & District, replacing Javelins. 210 is now at Keighley and repainted into Metro "My Bus" livery. 208 & 9 are on loan to Keighley but still in Urban Cool livery. ( this information obtained from Blazefield News Groups).
